The Man Who Knew Too Little
The Man Who Knew Too Little is the fourteenth episode of Due South's first season. Storyline: Constable Fraser and Detective Vecchio have to extradite a compulsive liar to Canada, only to find that he is also a target for assassination. Original Air Date: February 9, 1995 Written by Frank Siracusa Directed by George Bloomfield Synopsis Fraser is given the responsibility of extraditing a young Canadian man named Ian MacDonald, who has entered the United States illegally and is wanted for perjury. In the meantime, Ray is preparing for a week-long special assignment in the much warmer climate of southern Florida, which he regards as more of a working vacation than a duty. Fraser's compulsive honesty coupled with Ian's polar-opposite behaviour complicates Fraser's attempts to secure transportation to a border crossing, and eventually Ray grudgingly agrees to drive them to Canada before he heads south. Unbeknownst to them, three Canadian hit men are headed to intercept them and kill Ian to prevent him from talking. As Ray, Fraser, and Ian travel across lower Michigan, Ian's unceasing lies about his past get further and further on Ray's nerves, along with the growing setback of driving time to Florida. When they stop for lunch at a roadhouse in Battle Creek, Ian tells another tall tale claiming this to be the pancake house he frequented with his father when he was a boy. Fraser, however, debunks Ian's story, just before the hit men arrive, plant a tracking device on Ray's Buick Riviera and make their first attempt on Ian's life. Fleeing the roadhouse, Ian (after a few more outlandish fibs) identifies the hit men as Danny "The Bull" Brock and two of his henchmen. Ian insists that Brock wants to kill him because he saw Brock shoot a man who had stiffed him on an account, but his testimony to that effect caused a mistrial. Ray disbelieves the existence of the "Canadian mob", as Ian puts it, and he slews down a maze of back roads until he finally takes a turn too sharply and lands his car in a mud-filled ditch. With the sacrifice of one of Ray's shoes, Fraser and Ray push the car out of the ditch as Ian drives - and cites a cramped leg preventing him from stopping the car as he drives off and escapes. Fraser realises that although Ian was probably lying about the location of the pancake house, he wasn't lying about the pancake house itself and he has most likely gone to ground there. Hitching a ride with a pair of Canadian tourists, Fraser and Ray find the now-abandoned restaurant; while Ray reunites with his beloved car, Fraser goes inside to see Ian. Finally Ian tells the whole truth: he didn't see Brock commit the murder, and his compulsive dishonesty is due to a psychological imprint by his philandering father when he was younger. Brock and his men arrive, pinning down Fraser, Ray, and Ian with gunfire until Ray expends all but his last bullet. Fraser devises a strategy to lure the hit men toward Ray's car so Ray can take them out by shooting the gas tank and causing an explosion. Naturally, Ray is reluctant, but Fraser convinces him that there is no other way; Ian offers to act as the bait. He is nearly murdered as Ray constantly hesitates, but finally pulls the trigger and destroys his car in a giant fireball, knocking Brock and his henchmen out of action. Across the border at last, Ian is taken into custody by the Canadian authorities, while Fraser and Ray are left to find their own way home with Brock and company in tow. Cast * Rino Romano as Ian MacDonald * William Dunlop as Danny "The Bull" Brock * Dean McDermott as Laurier * Joseph Griffin as McGill Memorable Quotes Benton Fraser: Ray, I thought you'd used up all your vacation time. Ray Vecchio: No, no, no. This is not a vacation. This is a plum just waiting to be picked. You see, the district sends one detective from each division down to Miami to listen to some lecture on advanced weaponry, and I plan to be said detective. Benton Fraser: So it's assigned on the basis of merit? Ray Vecchio: No, it's assigned on the basis of who can suck up to the lieutenant the most without making it obvious. (pokes his head into Welsh's office) Cappuccino, sir? Ray Vecchio: All right, MacDonald. You mind telling us who wants you dead, excluding the immediate occupants of this car? Ian MacDonald: You wouldn't believe me. Ray Vecchio: That I believe! Ian MacDonald: Okay, you want the real truth? (Ray nods) Have you heard about the Basque separatist movement? Ray Vecchio: Next! Ian MacDonald: All right, fine. You want the real truth? Here it is. Those guys are part of the Canadian mob. Ray Vecchio: (scornfully) There's no such thing! Benton Fraser: On the contrary, Ray, organised crime is a growing problem in Canada. Ray Vecchio: Oh, all right, so what are we talking about here? Conspiracy to commit jaywalking? Organised littering? Ian MacDonald: The guy in the hat? Danny 'The Bull' Brock. One of his guys stiffed him on an account, so he took him back into an alley and shot him eight times! Ray Vecchio: So was that one time with eight bullets, or eight separate times? 'Cause in America, after the third trip down the same alley, we start to get a little suspicious. Benton Fraser: My father said something that's always stuck with me, Ray. Ray Vecchio: Your father never shut up, did he? Benton Fraser: He said, "A man with no future will always run to his past." Ray Vecchio: And when did this come up, Fraser? Were you sitting around at breakfast when he came up with these things, or did he come running into your room and just blurt 'em out? Benton Fraser: Ray! There's no need to be sarcastic. Ray Vecchio: No, I'm just curious to know, how did he work these things into everyday conversation? Did he say, "Son, did you see the size of that moose? And by the way - a man with no future will always run to his past!"? Benton Fraser: Ray! I'm sorry about your shoe. I thought you didn't want it anymore. Ray Vecchio: You know what my father used to say? "A man without a car is nothing." And I don't wanna be nothing anymore, Fraser. It's hard on my socks! (at a fork in the road) Benton Fraser: He went that way. Ray Vecchio: Why? Does a man with no future always turn left? Benton Fraser: Ray, don't you think we should have turned them over to the Canadian authorities? Ray Vecchio: Hey, if they want 'em, they can dig 'em out of an American jail. Come on, stick out your thumbs! (Brock and his men grudgingly comply) Benton Fraser: You're certain all the rental cars were taken? Ray Vecchio: Hey, don't blame me. I never heard of your damn Maple Syrup Day. Soundtrack * Such Is the Situation by The Sidemen, from their 1994 album When The Sun Goes Down (first roadhouse shootout) Category:Episodes Category:Season 1